Just Breathe
by dxoverdt
Summary: Follow up to the episode Dreamscape. It’s 3:00am, and Jake and Rose are in the dream realm discussing the days previous events. [Oneshot] [JakexRose]


Follow up to the episode Dreamscape. It's 3:00am, and Jake and Rose are in the dream realm discussing the days previous events. Oneshot JakexRose

I, like all the other rabid JakexRose fangirls out there, watched Dreamscape a bizillioin times yesterday and then tried to go to sleep, which was a stupid stupid idea because Jake and Rose crawled into my head and they would not SHUT UP. So the result: ficage. It's short and sweet, a little angsty, but how is a JakexRose fic going to be fun without a little angst? Hmmmm?

No beta for this fic, that means no laughing at my silly grammar mistakes. (Well, you can laugh, just not to my face.)

Disclaimer: I don't own AD:JL, this fic is for fan enjoyment only.

000

It's bright, warm and in total contrast to the dark bedrooms they are currently sleeping in.

"You ok Rose? You've been a little off since we captured that Chimera." There's nothing but concern in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she says, maybe too quickly. Jake doesn't stop looking at her doubtfully. She sighs.

The scene around them is changing, the aforementioned brilliant hues are being dulled, the sharp edges are softened, and the light is growing dim. She hopes Jake doesn't notice.

"You sure? I mean, you can tell the Mac Daddy Jake Long anything," his caviler grin cuts through the deepening darkness.

She can't help but smile. She smiles because she knows he means well, but sometimes Jake's charm makes him look like a big, doofy dork. But it's ok because he is _her_ big doofy dork, and right now that is all that matters.

"It's nothing," she tells him in a tone that means don't push it any further. He nods, understandingly. His smile doesn't falter, but his eyes are telling a different story.

"So what was with Spud's dream?" she asks, trying desperately to change the subject. "The spud cave, spud car, spud bombs, Spudopolis," she raises her eyebrow in disbelief.

"Holy copyright infringement Batman!" he flails his hands around in a humorous manner. It makes her giggle. "Haha, it was kinda like the Huntsclan, Hunts-this, Hunts-that," He looks ahead of them, not noticing that her smile is fading. "It's probably a good thing Spud doesn't remember his dreams, or else me and Trix would never hear the end of it," Jake goes on to make a very funny impersonation of Spud, but Rose has long since stopped listening.

She's thinking about her missing family right now, about how she has been lied to all this time. She should be mad, mad at the Huntsclan for doing this to her, but for some reason she can't summon the anger. The stark reality hits her and it hurts like hell: all her life she has had no real family, no real friends. Right now all she has is Jake.

Maybe that is part of the reason why she is so drawn to him. He is safe, solid, grounded, while she clings to him, twisting in the breeze like seeds on a dandelion not wanting to leave. He's cocky, over zealous and sometimes an idiot, but his confidence is genuine. Most of the time she is strong like him, but sometimes her confidence is an illusion, shining bright on the outside, but the inside is hollow, the lining thin. Right now her confidence is all wonky, creating this convoluted self gravity around herself that pulls on her insides and twists her surroundings until she is nothing more than a lonely dog barking at the moon.

"Rose, Rose!" he brings her mind back to reality.

"Sorry," she says, turning to walk away. His eyes follow the sway of her hips and watches her arms wrap themselves around her.

He reaches for her, meets her face and sees her eyes are stung with tears that refuse to fall.

"Rose," his voice is barely a whisper. Jake knows Rose is a strong girl, but right now he's afraid if he breathes too hard she will break.

"Jake, I-"

When he kisses her it is warm, soft and tastes like the bitter tinge of green tea that he always drinks in his Grandpa's shop, but most importantly when he kisses her it is all _him_.

He pulls back because he knows she is fragile right now, but she moves with him, noses brushing together, silent pants mingling . . . and she breathes.

Just breathe.

"Kiss me again," she tells him, in a whisper so faint she's not sure it she even heard it herself. He hears her and complies, scooping her into his lap and melds his lips to hers while the moonlight reflects off the wetness on her cheeks. He feels her confidence returning as she slides her arms around his neck. Jake smiles.

He grabs her into a stronger embrace, and all of her insecurities, self doubts and worries melt away. He is her protector, and even though he doesn't know it yet, he has already made a promise to never let anything or anyone hurt her. She begins to understand why the dragon guardians are so widely respected.

He squeezes her tighter.

Roes decides that she can wait till the morning to think about her missing family.

000

I am currently looking for an AD:JL beta. If you become my beta I will love you forever and shower you with beautiful, grammar-foul ridden JakexRose fics.


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